Jazz No-Show In Loss To Clippers
Dec 16, 2024, 11:09 PM | Updated: Dec 17, 2024, 2:08 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz were on the wrong end of a blowout in Los Angeles falling to the Clippers 144-107.
Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 20 points off the bench while James Harden led all scorers with 41.
The Clippers 144 points are the most by a Jazz opponent this season.
Game Blog: Jazz Fall To Clippers In Los Angeles
John Collins’s Rare Off Night
John Collins had arguably his worst game of the season and still managed to record 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 38 minutes on the floor.
Collins wasn’t the Jazz’s only poor performer, but his rare bad outing served as a reminder of just how good the forward has been this year.
Last season, a 4-11 shooting performance, including 0-3 from the three-point line would have been a drop in the bucket among a few dozen other forgettable Collins’ showings.
there’s always another big lurking… 👀 pic.twitter.com/b7BBxCPTlY
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 17, 2024
This season, Collins has developed into one of, if not the Jazz’s most consistent player, scoring 11 or more points in his first 24 appearances of the season.
Had Taylor Hendricks not suffered his early season injury, Collins may have never had the opportunity to show off his improvement this season, but the veteran has made the most of the opportunity and has evolved into an intriguing asset for the Jazz moving forward.
Clippers Loss Worst First Half In Jazz History?
While the second half was nothing to write home about, the Jazz had perhaps the worst first half in franchise history.
Prior to Monday’s loss, the Jazz had never allowed an opposing team to score over 80 points in the opening 24 minutes while failing to break the 50-point mark themselves.
Against the Clippers, they broke that streak getting outscored 81-47 through two quarters.
The Clippers’ 81 first-half points are the fourth-most ever by a Jazz opponent, but the third time it’s happened in the calendar year.
Arguably the worst first half in @utahjazz history.
Only the fifth time they’ve ever allowed 80 or more in the opening 24 minutes, and the first time they’ve done it while failing to break the 50-point mark.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) December 17, 2024
As a team, the Clippers shot 63 percent from the floor (26-41), 64 percent from three (13-20), and 16-21 from the free-throw line.
“Credit to the Clippers, they played really well, and they shot the ball at an unbelievable clip in that first quarter,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
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Harden led all scorers with 34 points at the midway point, and singlehandedly outscored the Jazz 24-20 in the first quarter.
The veteran knocked down 8-12 field goals in the first half including 7-10 from the three-point line and 11-13 from the free-throw line.
“James is a hell of a player and scorer, he got it going from three, but the free throws are really where he hurts you,” Hardy added.
While the Jazz’s 5-20 start to the season is only the third-worst in franchise history, their first half in LA might stand alone as the worst the team has ever played.
Utah Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Detroit Pistons on Thursday at 5 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
